Rotherham residents rejoice at regeneration of fire-damaged building as a boutique hotel

A historic building in South Yorkshire that was destroyed by fire in the 1990s has been given a new lease of life as a seven-bedroom boutique hotel.

The Grade-II listed building in Rotherham has been derelict for more than 20 years after a substantial fire damaged much of the property, but now under new ownership, the venue has been transformed into a new hotel, bar and restaurant.

The George Wright, which dates back to the 19th century, has reopened after a £500k project and the creation of 25 new jobs.

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Alongside the new bedrooms, the hotel features a function room, a botanical-type garden, gin and whisky bars, plus a gallery restaurant with an open kitchen and space for 80 covers.

The redevelopment has been designed by architects Self and White Design, spearheaded by owner local businessman Mark McGrail who took over the property in 2014.

Prior to the launch of the new hotel, the residents of Rotherham spoke out in their droves in favour of the venture, with more than 250,000 ‘expressions of interest’ and requests for more information.

McGrail, director at Parkgate firm SME Environmental Services, said: “This is a remarkable building which many people still don’t know exists, a hidden gem that Rotherham should be proud of.

“This is all about celebrating Rotherham’s history and its people but also helping to create a strong future too. There have been over 250,000 expressions of interest and requests for more information online and so we are very confident that people really want this kind of high-quality establishment in Rotherham.”

Self and White Design worked with McGrail last year on transforming the old mail sorting office on Domine Lane into the 1915 Bar and Bistro.